Stock guard



May 31, 1949. J. A. sLAuGH-rER STOCK GUARD Filed Feb. 2o, 194e' By an! may ,3mm

Patented May 3l, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT ,oFElcEjf James AQSlaughter, Kermit, Tex.` v

Application February 20, 1946, Serial No. 649,050

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural renements in stock guards, and applies particularly to those used for preventing cattle and the like, from crossing highways, roads and other thoroughfares or areas, where their passage is not desired. Conventional guards employed for this purpose usually. consist of lengths of pipe, rails or timber, spaced in a parallel relationship over a pit formed in the ground, such pipes, etc., providing insecure and uncertain footing and thereby deterring the passage of cattle thereover.

However, such conventional guards very frequently become filled with sand, mud and other objects, whereby the usefulness thereof is considerably impaired, and the procedure ofcleaning the same is a relatively tedious and a dicult task, inasmuch as the guard frequently requires to be taken completely apart, before the cleaning can be effected.

Furthermore, the passage of vehicles over the guard, produces a destructive effect upon the same, so that periodical repairs are necessary in order to maintain the guard in a satisfactory condition. On the other hand, improperly maintained guards are often unable to support the weight of the vehicle passing over them, so that consequently, the wheels of such vehicle break through the guard and with unpleasant results, become lodged in the guard pit.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention, to eliminate the disadvantages above outlined, by providing a device of the character herein described, which will serve as an eiicient barrier against the passage of cattle, and simultaneously, permit a safe and unobstructed passage of vehicles thereover.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cattle guard in which means are provided for automatically cleaning the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cattle guard which is of safe and durable construction, and which when once installed, will function indefinitely without attention or repair.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a cattle guard which is of simple and of economical construction.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional View of the in- 1 Claim. (C1.- 2564-14) vention, taken substantially in the plane of the line I-I in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 3, and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the invention, partially broken away to reveal its construction.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a metallic sheet designated by the general reference numeral 5, and provided with a plurality of parallel, relatively deep corrugations 6. The latter dene a plurality of channels 'I and 8, open alternately at the top and the bottom thereof respectively, the corrugations 6 being rounded at the upper ends 9 and the lower ends I0 thereof, as will be clearly apparent from the accompanying drawings.

The sheet 5 is also provided a-t the relatively opposed ends thereof with a pair of laterally projecting flanges II, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Paving material, such as concrete and the like, is provided below the sheet 5 as indicated by the reference numeral I2, and around the flanges II as designated by the numerals I3, to retain rthe corrugated sheet in position. The paving material also lls the open-bottomed channels 8 as shown by the reference numeral I4, and provides the approaches I5 to the level of the rounded extremities 9 of the corrugations 6.

Each of the channels 'I is provided in the bottom thereof with a pair of declined surfaces I6, extending from a relatively high crest line I1 to the ends of the channel, as is ibest illustrated in the accompanying Figure 2. The crest line I'I is located intermediate the ends of the channels, and the outer, that is the declined ends of the surfaces IB communicate with 'open pits I8 at the ends of the sheet 5.

The rounded extremities 9 are also formed with a plurality of air openings I9, as will be clearly apparent from the accompanying drawings.

When the invention is placed in operation, the rounded extremities 9 will form an effective barrier against the passage of cattle, and simultaneously, facilitate the passage of vehicles thereover. Mud, sand and other foreign objects will simply gravitate into the channels 1, whereupon they will be washed by rain or if desired, by articial washing, down the declined surfaces I6 and into the pits I8. The advantages of the invention as outlined in the foregoing objects are therefore,` hereby clearly apparent.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodimentl of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a stock guard, a metallic sheet having a zig-zag cross-sectional configuration and formL ing a plurality of spaced parallel drain channels each defined by a pair of spaced parallel side walls and a semi-circular bottom Wall, u-pwardly convexed semi-circular portions of saidsheet bridging together the side walls of the adjacent channels and constituting spaced parallel surfaces of uncertain footing, each of said bottom Walls declining in relatively oppositev directions from an intermediate crest line toward the ends of the associated channel.

JAMES A. SLAUGH'IER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STA-TES PATENTS Young et al. Jan. 3, 1939 

